Cup lid easy to discharge internal gas

ABSTRACT

A cup lid for easy discharge of internal gas which seals the upper portion of the cup body and discharges the internal gas of the cup body to the outside as the internal gas pressure of the cup body increases. The cup lid includes a cover portion that is detachably coupled to an upper portion of the cup body and has a circulation groove formed at one end thereof; a seal that protrudes from the lower end of the cover portion and is coupled to the upper end of the cup body; and an outlet that is coupled to the circulation groove for discharging the gas inside the cup body to the outside.

CROSS REFERENCE TO THE RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is based upon and claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2019-0124418, filed on Oct. 8, 2019, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a Cup Lid Easy to Discharge Internal Gas, more specifically to a Cup Lid Easy to Discharge Internal Gas that discharges internal gas of the cup body to the outside as the internal gas pressure of the cup body increases while sealing the upper portion of the cup body.

BACKGROUND

In general, coffee that has been carefully selected, mixed and roasted at all stages of production and processing is introduced into the cooling processes which is divided into two types: water cooling and air cooling.

Water cooling means cooling by cold water, and air cooling means cooling by cold air. Recently, many people prefer air cooling which has less loss of coffee ingredients than water cooling.

The cooled coffee finally enters packaging stage. The purpose and key of the packaging is to preserve the original characteristics of the coffee until it is served in a cup. Otherwise, even the best processed coffee will quickly lose its flavor. When roasted coffee is exposed to the air, the aromas of the beans become volatile with carbon dioxide, and the coffee is oxidized as it is exposed to oxygen and moisture in the air.

Nevertheless, many commercially available packaging containers are not tightly sealed, allowing air and gas to enter and exit easily. After several weeks in this state, the quality will be degraded, and the quality of coffee will drop sharply due to the loss of freshness and aroma. Even high-end coffee will be discarded after a certain period of time.

As a method of lasting freshness, three techniques are mainly used: valve packaging, vacuum packaging, and nitrogen packaging.

Here, the vacuum packaging is a method of preserving the freshness by vacuum-packing the coffee ground in a metal container in a vacuum, recently using a composite film, in place of a metal container, that gas cannot permeate. In the vacuum packaging method, the degree of vacuum to completely drain and block internal air is the most important factor.

Nitrogen packaging eliminates air in the packaging material and fills the nitrogen gas, or replaces the air itself with nitrogen to increase the shelf life. Nitrogen gas, which is an inert gas, can fundamentally block the inflow of oxygen, so that oxidation of the beans can be inhibited as much as possible. This method is, however, expensive because it mainly uses aluminum cans.

The above two methods can inhibit the oxidation of beans, but there is a costly problem, so the valve packaging method is most commonly used in the coffee manufacturing and distribution process.

Valve packing uses a one-way valve that allows gas inside the wrapper to go out but outside gas cannot enter inside to prevent the oxidation of the beans. In this method, a valve called an aroma valve or a press valve is attached to one end of the wrapping paper to allow air moves in only one direction.

However, in the conventional valve packaging method, since the wrapping paper is made of vinyl material and sold in large quantities, environmental problems are inevitable.

In response to environmental problems caused by the use of the vinyl material, there is a need for an easy way to store coffee in a paper cup or tumbler while reducing the amount of vinyl used.

SUMMARY

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems and aims to provide a Cup Lid Easy to Discharge Internal Gas that is coupled to the upper portion of the paper cup or tumbler to seal the inside of the cup and able to release gas discharged from the coffee stored in the cup to the outside of the cup.

The Cup Lid Easy to Discharge Internal Gas according to the present invention is coupled to the upper end of the cup body to seal the cup body and discharges the gas remaining inside the cup body. The Cup Lid Easy to Discharge Internal Gas comprises a cover portion that is detachably coupled to an upper portion of the cup body and has a circulation groove formed at one end thereof; a seal that protrudes from the lower end of the cover portion and is coupled to the upper end of the cup body; and an outlet that is coupled to the circulation groove for discharging the gas inside the cup body to the outside.

In addition, the outlet is accommodated in the circulation groove so as to be placed on top of the outflow hole and comprises an open/close membrane of which one end is attached to the upper surface of the circulation groove and the other end is placed on the circulation groove; and a cap inserted into the circulation groove to cover the open/close membrane and a discharge hole penetrated therethrough.

In addition, the cap comprises a fixing member that is formed to protrude in the lower portion and supports the upper surface of one end of the open/close membrane.

In addition, the seal comprises: a 1st coupling member protruding downward from an edge of the cover portion; a 2nd coupling member protruding toward the inner side of the 1st coupling member at a predetermined interval; and a 3rd coupling member protruding toward the 2nd coupling member from one end of the 1st coupling member.

The Cup Lid Easy to Discharge Internal Gas according to the present invention provides an effect of preventing the internal pressure of the cup body from increasing and damaging the cup body due to the carbon dioxide generated inside the cup body because a seal is attached to the upper edge of the cup body to seal the inside of the cup body, the coffee oil stored in the cup body moves to the coffee bean surface over time, and at this time the carbon dioxide, which is generated by the process of oxidation as oil components meet with oxygen in the air, is discharged to the outside of the cup body through the outlet.

In addition, when the internal pressure of the cup body is lower than or equal to the external pressure, the open/close membrane adheres to the circulation groove to seal the inside of the cup body, and when the internal pressure of the cup body is higher than the external pressure, the open/close membrane moves upward to discharge the gas formed inside to the outside, so only the gas formed inside the cup body can be discharged to the outside while the natural taste and aroma of the coffee is maintained.

In addition, when the open/close membrane is moved upward by the internal pressure of the cup body, the fixing member protrudes from the lower part of the cap so that the open/close membrane contacts the upper surface of the circulation groove and prevents the open/close membrane from being removed from the top of the circulation groove. When the internal pressure of the cup body is lower than or equal to the external pressure, the inside of the cup body can be easily sealed.

In addition, the seal is fixed to the cup body and provides the effect of completely sealing the inside of the cup body with a 1st coupling member that adheres to the outer circumference surface of the cup body, a 2nd coupling member that adheres to the inner circumference surface of the cup body, and a 3rd coupling member that protrudes toward the outer circumference surface from one end of the 1st coupling member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows an exploded perspective view showing a Cup Lid Easy to Discharge Internal Gas according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the Cup Lid Easy to Discharge Internal Gas is coupled to the cup body according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 shows an enlarged cross-sectional view of part A of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view showing another embodiment of FIG. 3.

FIGS. 5A-5C show an exemplary diagram showing a change in the state of the Cup Lid Easy to Discharge Internal Gas over time of the roasted coffee stored in the cup body.

1000: Cup Lid Easy to Discharge Internal Gas

10: cup body

11: engaging surface

100: cover portion

110: circulation groove

111: outflow hole

200: seal

210: 1st coupling member

220: 2nd coupling member

230: 3rd coupling member

240: 4th coupling member

300: outlet

310: open/close membrane

320: cap

321: discharge hole

322: fixing member

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, the technical idea of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The accompanying drawings are only examples to illustrate the technical idea of the present invention in more detail, and thus the technical idea of the present invention is not limited to the forms of the accompanying drawings.

However, in the following description of the present invention, descriptions of already known functions or configurations will be omitted to clarify the gist of the present invention.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a Cup Lid Easy to Discharge Internal Gas according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which a Cup Lid Easy to Discharge Internal Gas is coupled to a cup body according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the Cup Lid Easy to Discharge Internal Gas (1000) according to the present invention includes a cover portion (100), a seal (200), and an outlet (300).

First, the Cup Lid Easy to Discharge Internal Gas (1000) of the present invention relates to a cup lid that is coupled to an upper end of a cup body (10) of a paper cup or a plastic cup to seal the inside of the cup body (10) and to discharge the gas containing carbon dioxide generated from the roasted coffee stored in the cup body (10) to the outside, thereby prevent the cup body (10) from being damaged by the gas while maintaining the original flavor and taste of the coffee.

In this case, the cover portion (100) is detachably coupled to an upper portion of the cup body (10), and a circulation groove (110) is formed at one end thereof, and as illustrated in FIG. 1, an outflow hole (111) is formed through the circulation groove (110).

The cover portion (100) is formed in a plate shape to correspond to the size of the opened upper portion according to the size of the cup body (10).

And the circulation groove (110) is preferably formed in the center of the cover portion (100) and inserted and coupled to the outlet (300) to be described later, and the outflow hole (111) is formed to penetrate the upper and lower portions of the circulation groove (110).

The outflow hole (111) is formed in plural so that the gas can move from the inside of the cup body (10) to the outside through the outflow hole (111).

Next, the seal (200) protrudes downward from the edge of the cover portion (100) and is coupled to the upper end of the cup body (10).

Specifically, the seal (200) comprises: a 1st coupling member (210) that adheres to the outer circumference surface of the cup body (10); a 2nd coupling member (220) that protrudes toward the inside of the 1st coupling member (210) at a predetermined interval and adheres to the inner circumference surface of the cup body (10); and a 3rd coupling member (230) that protrudes toward the 2nd coupling member (220) from one end of the 1st coupling member (210).

At this time, an engaging surface (11) protruding outward is formed on an upper portion of the cup body (10) including a conventional paper cup or plastic cup and is tight fit so that the upper surface of the 3rd coupling member (230) is in close contact with the lower surface of the engaging surface (11).

Here, the 1st coupling member (210) is in close contact with the outer circumference surface of the cup body (10), and the 2nd coupling member (220) is in close contact with the inner circumference surface of the cup body (10) to seal the inside of the cup body (10), and the 3rd coupling member (230) is engaged with the engaging surface (11) of the cup body (10) and securely fixed without being detached.

In addition, a 4th coupling member (240) protruding from the outer circumference surface of the 2nd coupling member (220) is placed below the position where the 3rd coupling member (230) protrudes, and the 3rd coupling member (230) supports the outer circumference surface of the body (10) while the 4th coupling member (240) supports the inner circumference surface of the cup body (10) so that the binding force between the cup body (10) and the Cup Lid Easy to Discharge Internal Gas (1000) of the present invention can be improved.

Next, as shown in FIG. 3, the outlet (300) is coupled to the circulation groove (110) and includes an open/close membrane (310) and a cap (320).

Here, the open/close membrane (310) is placed to cover the outflow hole (111) while being accommodated in the circulation groove (110), and one side of the lower surface meets the lower surface of the circulation groove (110) while one side of the upper surface meets the lower surface of the cap (320).

And the other lower surface meets the lower surface of the circulation groove (110) while the other upper surface meets the lower surface of the cap (320), and the portion corresponding to the outflow hole (111) is partially cut out and arranged to be moved upward by the gas discharged from the outflow hole (111).

Silicon oil is applied to the lower surface of the open/close membrane (310) which is in contact with the upper surface of the circulation groove (110) so as not to be separated from the circulation groove (110).

In this case, the open/close membrane (310) keeps its flat shape, and even though it is moved upward by the pressure inside the cup body (10), if the pressure inside and outside of the cup body (10) becomes equal as the gas inside the cup body (10) is discharged to the outside, the open/close membrane (310) contacts the upper surface of the circulation groove (110) to block the outflow hole (111).

In this case, the open/close membrane (310) may be made of a cut film of which one end is to be cut, a rubber disc of rubber material with elasticity, and a thin plastic material that can be moved upward by the gas pressure inside the cup body (10). One embodiment of the present invention shows a cut film, but is not limited thereto.

Next, the cap (320) is inserted and coupled to the circulation groove (110) to cover the open/close membrane (310), and a discharge hole (321) is formed through the end thereof.

At this time, threads are formed on the outer circumference surface of the cap (320), the corresponding threads are formed on the inner circumference surface of the circulation groove (110), and one end of the cap (320) is placed to be in close contact with the upper surface of the open/close membrane (310) so that one end of the open/close membrane (310) can be fixed.

In addition, the other end of the cap (320) is coupled to be in close contact with the upper surface of the circulation groove (110) and placed so as not to interfere with the other end of the open/close membrane (310) moving up and down.

In this case, as shown in FIG. 4, a fixing member (322) is formed protruding downward in the center of the cap (320). When the other end of the open/close membrane (310) is moved upward, the fixing member (322) prevents the upper center of the open/close membrane (310) from being moved upward and from being detached from the circulation groove (110).

Here, the cap (320) has a discharge hole (321) formed at a position corresponding to the other end of the open/close membrane (310), and the other end of the open/close membrane (310) is moved upward. Then the gas inside the cup body (10) is sequentially discharged through the outflow hole (111) and the discharge hole (321).

Next, looking at the step that the Cup Lid Easy to Discharge Internal Gas (1000) of the present invention discharges the gas inside the cup body (10).

FIG. 5A is a view showing a state in which roasted coffee is put into the cup body (10), FIG. 5B is a view showing a state in which the pressure inside the cup body (10) is increased due to the gas containing carbon dioxide generated by oxidation in the roasted coffee inside the cup body (10), and FIG. 5C is a view showing a state in which the gas inside the cup body (10) is discharged to make the pressure inside and outside the cup body (10) equal.

Upper and lower portions of the Cup Lid Easy to Discharge Internal Gas (1000) of the present invention receive an atmospheric pressure (F1) from the outside, a pressure (F2) generated inside the cup body (10), an adhesion (F3) of the open/close membrane (310), and an elasticity (F4) of the open/close membrane (310).

In FIG. 5A, when the first roasted coffee is put into the cup body (10), the external atmospheric pressure (F1) and the internal pressure (F2) of the cup body (10) are the same so that the outflow hole (111) is maintained closed by adhesion (F3) and elasticity (F4) of the open/close membrane (310) to keep the cup body (10) sealed.

Next, as shown in FIG. 5B, the roasted coffee stored in the cup body (10) generates a gas containing carbon dioxide after a predetermined time. At this time, the internal pressure (F2) of the cup body (10) gets greater than the sum of external atmospheric pressure (F1), adhesion (F3), and elasticity (F4) of the open/close membrane (310), and the other end of the open/close membrane (310) is moved upward to discharge the gas to the outside.

And as shown in FIG. 5C, as the gas generated inside the cup body (10) is discharged to the outside, the internal pressure (F2) gets equal to or lower than the sum of the external atmospheric pressure (F1) and the elasticity of the open/close membrane (310), and the open/close membrane (310) gets in close contact with the circulation groove (110), and then the outflow hole (111) is closed to keep the cup body (10) closed again.

As such, when the roasted coffee stored in the cup body (10) generates gas over time, the gas inside the cup body (10) is moved upward on the open/close membrane (310) by internal pressure, and the gas outside the cup body (10) is prevented from entering into the inside, thereby providing an effect of preventing roasted coffee from rancidity.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and allows a wide range of applications. Various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention as stated in the claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A cup lid coupled to a cup body to seal the cup body and discharges a gas remaining in the cup body, comprising: a cover portion detachably coupled to an upper portion of the cup body and having a circulation groove formed at one end thereof and an outflow hole penetrated in the circulation groove; a seal protruding from a lower end of the cover portion and coupled to the upper portion of the cup body; and an outlet coupled to the circulation groove for discharging the gas inside the cup body to the outside.
 2. The cup lid of claim 1, wherein the outlet is accommodated in the circulation groove and placed on a top of the outflow hole; and the outlet comprises an open/close membrane having a first end attached to the upper surface of the circulation groove and a second end placed on the circulation groove; and a cap inserted into the circulation groove to cover the open/close membrane and a discharge hole penetrated therethrough.
 3. The cup lid of claim 2, wherein the cap comprises a fixing member formed to protrude in a lower portion of the cap and supports an upper surface of the first end of the open/close membrane.
 4. The cup lid of claim 1, wherein the seal comprises a first coupling member protruding downward from an edge of the cover portion; a second coupling member protruding toward an inner side of the first coupling member at a predetermined interval; and a third coupling member protruding toward the second coupling member from one end of the first coupling member. 